The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-03-22


| got nv first clcw. Several feet to
the right of the path was Jcnnie's par
asol. and as picked 1t up l found that
il had been badly broken. While it
was closed. as she would be likely to
carry it through the woods. four ribs
we're broken and the handle loosened,
and felt certain that she had used IL
rs II weapon OF defense. Fifty feet fur
ther on, and right of the path. ! found
her handbag. Across the dell. in the
thick woods again, found bow from
her throat on II bush, and here tho earth
had been torn up and the bushes broken
down to prove a struggle. 1t was one
which must have lasted for some time
and been iierccly contested, and | had
no sooner looked over the ground than
| knew that Jennie's dead body would
be found somewhere in the woods. As
to the locality, | soon found broken
twigs-a bit of dress on Il bush---hcary
footprints in the rich soil. and other
plain evidence of her being dragged or
carried along through the underground
80 point twenty rods from the path.
There, in an open space not more than
twenty feet square, with thicket on
three sides. | found the body. Decom-
position had set in, OF course, and the
odor greeted my nostrils before my
eyes made the discovery.
That Il murder had been committed
there could be no doubt The girl lay
on her back. her feet drawn up, her
clothing badly torn and in disorder, and
while one hand clinchcd II stout stick,
the other had a dying clutch on a coat
button-just match for those left on
Will Graftcns coat. She had been
choked to DEATH and was horrible
sight her eyes stood wide open, her
tongue out, and look OF agony on her
bloated face. | examined the finger
nails and found blood and flesh under
them, left there as she clawed the half
IDIOT face and hand. On the ground
was n tobacco-boX, which he after
wards identified and boldly claimed.
A murder had been committed. and
had discovered the murderer; but | was
not as cnthus astic over it as you may
have imagined. He was son II mil
lionaire, and the father would spend
his last dollar TO save him. Riches
control public opinion and, in some in
stances, the verdict of iuries.
After an exam nation lasting qual-
ter of an hour and having carefully
gathered aud preserved all possible
proofs, | set out to bring the coroner
and jury. had evidence enough to
warrant me in arrestjng Will Grafton
at once, but felt that it would be
safer to 90 slow and wait for the opin-
ion of the jury. 1t was matter Of
two hours before the officer and his
jury arrived, and all had not yet viewed
the body when Mr.. Grafton and two
or three others arrived in an excited
state of mind and announced that Fritz,
the coachman, had been captured. and
had partially confessed to the deed.
This news was, as you may imagine, q
shock TO me. | had not, in the first
place, heard that the coachman was
suspected, although he had gone off go
hurriedly. Mr.. Grafton had utterly re-
fused to point tho finger of suspicion
that way during our talk in the morn
ing, but had held to the theory that
the girl had run of with some giddy
companions to lead less respectable
career. His statement that Fritz was
probably guilty so upset me that kept
my proofs in my pocket and gave the
jury no hint. The inquest was adjourn =
ed until evening, and was then re-
sumed at the house, while Fritz was
present in charge of an officer. He
had been arrested at town thirty
miles away, and attention had been
first called to him by his attempt to
commit suicide by drowning. When
charged with the murder he did not
deny it. When pressed to make II
confession he uttered groan Of do
SPAR and replied:
Maybe did. for have been crazy
for four or five days. Let me go and
kill myself. "
When searched few shillings Iii
money and a pocket-knife and other
articles were found on his person. He
,,,os froo ~ xvonnds or hruisas of any